Near the temple of Elune, the only place on the whole of the Teldrassil the world tree which was made out of stone, the dwarves of Khaz Modan were allowed sanctuary by the Kaldorei by leave of High Priestess Tyrande Whisperwind.
This dwarven sector was home to mostly the Explorer's league, dwarven explorers who travelled around Azeroth to find clues about their Titan heritage. The reason why they settled here was because of the stone foundation the temple provided, for dwarves prefered to live on those.
The dwarves lived in cells along the temple grounds, among them a dwarven mercenary.
His room was small but it suited his needs. He had a library of Kaldorei, human and of course dwarven books. Weapons he had forged hung, a fully repaired Kaldorei cuirass laid on the table on the wall as did a painting depicting a scene of a battle between the Horde and the Alliance, Orcs and trolls on one side and humans, dwarves and elves to the right. Not that Hadgar cared to look at that now.
The dwarven woman on top of him cried with joy before she rolled off him, her cheeks flustered with effort. She caught her breath, a smile on her face.
"By the Titans Hadgar...that was good." She said.
"Oh aye, it was..." Hadgar replied with a laugh, letting the dwarf woman rest her head on his chest, her pigtails tickling his nose ever so slightly." Been a while I have to admit. Ta for that Hollee."
"Oh, really?" She turned around, smirking at her lover mischievously." Who was the last lucky lass you bedded?"
"A Scarlet Crusader." Hadgar admitted. He reached for his pipe by his nightstand and lit it." They're all about the Holy Light and cleansing the world of evil, but they love a good rutting like anyone else."
Hollee was stunned." You...slept with a Scarlet Crusader?" he asked again to confirm.
"Aye, I did. Not the first time shagged one either." He took a puff from his pipe. As he exhaled the sweet, gray smoke Hollee took the pipe and had a pull herself before she blew the smoke at his face, grinning." Go on tell the story..."
Hadgar chuckled as he strayed her hair.
"Not much to tell there...but I can tell you what happened AFTER."
Hollee's eyes widend." Oh, do tell."
He cleared his throat." I call this tale...Murlocslayer."
"Bit of a shite title, love."
"Shut it woman and let me tell my story."
Murlocslayer
The sun was shining brightly over the town of Hillsbrad Foothills, one of the few remaining villages that belonged to the fallen kingdom of Lordearon. The sky was as blue as clear water and a few clouds lazily drifted by. What would've been a nice day however was in stark contrast to the events that happend below.
Three pyres were erected as people shouted at those tied to them. The prisoners were a human, a dwarf and a forest troll respectively. The townspeople shouted obscenities at them, calling out for their blood.
"SILENCE!" a priest called out which indeed silenced the crowd." We stand here in the grace of the Light to judge these three black souls for their crimes!"
"For the Light is just!" they cried.
The dwarf turned to the human next to him as the priest ranted." Ta only crime 'ere is ta ale prices. Three silver fer that pig piss?! Me hairy arse!"
"For Light' sake Hadgar, shut up!" the human replied." You're going to make it worse!"
Hadgar blinked before he snarled." WORSE?! We're goin' ta be torched! How can it possibly be worse?!"
"Dey can be castratin' ya first." the Forest troll female replied in the human's stead.
This stunned the dwarf." Bloody hells...that is bad."
"Ah know. And dey call MAH people savages...least we eat our kills."
Both human and dwarf turned their heads to the troll with their brows raised.
"Matthias Lehner!" the priest cried out." You are found guilty of being a member of the Scarlet Crusade! For the deaths of the innocent people you thought were evil and bullying others to your service, you will be burned at the stake! Have you any words in your defense?!"
Matthias merely glared in reply.
"See!" the priest turned to his flock." Even he cannot defend his actions!"
The crowd shouted in glee at the impending execution.
"Hadgar Axehammer!" the Priest turned to the dwarf now." You are found guilty of fornicating with a member of the Scarlet Crusade, travelling with another and committing several accounts of indecency! For your crimes you will burned at the stake! Do you have any words in your defense?!"
"AYE!" The dwarf shouted." If it helps, ta Scarlet Lass I shagged was nae that good in ta sack. Does that go in me favour?"
The priest looked on in stunned anger." ...No."
"Oh well in that case-" Hadgar turned to the crowd." YER TOWN IS SHITE AND YER ALE IS SHITE!"
The crowd boo'd at the dwarf who in turn boo'd back.
"Boo yerself yer goat fondlers!" he retorted.
"SILENCE!" the priest ordered his flock.
"And yer ma!" Hadgar retorted.
"You, monster!" the Priest turned to the forest troll woman." You were found desecrating the church's library, laying your filthy green fingers on the sacred parchment! For this crime you will be burned! Have you anything to say in your defense, creature?!"
The troll woman raised her chin up and spoke with a clear voice." I BE ZAN'JI OF DA REVANTUSK TRIBE! I HAD A DREAM ABOUT DA LIGHT AND CAME TO READ ABOUT IT! I ASKED SANCTUARY IN YOUR CHURCH AND I WAS DENIED BY YOU!" Her eyes rested o nthe priest.
"Of course I denied you! You're a troll! A soulless creature from hell!"
"Yet does da holy book not say we are all equal in da Light?!" the troll replied.
There was some muttering amongst the crowd.
"SILENCE!" The priest said a third time." You are a herectic for both your people and mine! Nothing will delight me more than set you ablaze!"
"Den get it ovah with den!" Zan'ji said." Da Light be ma judge, not you!"
The priest nodded at three men to the side who each lit their torches and moved to the pyre. It was about to be lit when a loud voice sounded.
"WHAT IN THE NAME OF KING TERENAS' ASHES IS GOING ON HERE?!"
All eyes turned to the town hall where a man in blue noblemen's attire stepped out along with two footmen. His head was bald safe for the temples and back and he held a golden sceptre in his hand.
"Magistrate Burnside!" the priest pointed to the three pyres." These three have been found guilty!"
"That is not your call to make, Father Theodore." Burnside snapped his finger to the men who held the torches." Cut them down and bring them to the Townhall."
The crowd shouted in anger as the priest raised his voice." You cannot do this! I have the right-"
Burnside glared at the priest who fell silent under his gaze." You have the right to shut up before I thrust a sword through your throat, Father. Go back to your church and do your job in healing people rather than setting them on fire." He did not even deign to listen to the priest's reply as he turned to the crowd." And all of you! Don't you have jobs or homes to go to?! Those apples won't pluck themselves and that armour won't forge itself! Now march!"
Like scolded schoolchildren the crowd dispersed as the three prisoners were hauled by the footmen to the Townhall. All the while the priest glared with the eyes of a denied preacher.
The three were brought before the Magistrate. With a nod their bounds were cut.
"My appologies, my friends. Father Theodore does not speak for me or the people of Hillsbrad." He said with sincerity.
"Dunnea about that." Hadgar rubbed his wrists." They seemed eager enough ta set us on fire."
"You saved us Magistrate, we owe our thanks." Matthias bowed his head." If we can help you in any way..."
Burnside nodded." You can, actually."
"Ah shite..." Hadgar cursed but received a hard elbow nudge from his friend to the chest.
"What do you need us do?" Matthias asked.
"Also why I be here?" Zan'ji asked.
"I need your help, my friends." Burnside moved to the cupboard towards the back of the room and opened it. He took out a bottle and a glass and poured himself a drink. His eyes did not leave the glass as he spoke." The Scarlet Crusade who passed by here recently have passed to the north, away from the path towards Silverpine. This is not the first time this happened. For the past month, several groups of them passed by without word of their activities. I want you three to find out if there are building a base there."
"Just throwin' tis out dere but, ah am guessin' yer send folk and dey nae came back?" Hadgar asked.
"Yes." Burnside took a sip from his drink." And I cannot spare any more men, what with the Forsaken being emboldened by our loss of Garithos and his forces."
"Not a big loss there ta be honest..." Hadgar muttered in his beard.
"How does dis relate ta me?" Zan'jin asked." Ya still 'ave not asked me. I don't know dese mons."
"You're all in this together. Do this and I will give you access to the Church's library." Burnside replied. The troll woman's tusks went up with her lips as she smiled.
Matthias raised his hand." Might I ask what our pay may be?"
Burnside pondered for a moment, taking a sip from his wine." Well...you get to walk out of here alive."
Matthias blinked." oh..."
"And perhaps I can offer you five gold each?" he smirked." What is it going to be? Carrot or the stick?"
Hadgar immediately interjected." Ah like ma carrots in gold please!"
North of the town, in the caves near the Lordamere lake, several humans in bright red armour traversed the underground. Their footsteps were heavy and loud, it was a miracle none had slipped yet on the wet ground beneath them.
"Quiet!" their leader, a blonde-haired woman, said." They'll hear us all the way to Dalaran with this racket!" Brigitte was relatively new to the order yet she was in command of the five other soldiers with her." Tamara, protect our rear!"
"Aye, Captain Foller!" the black-haired woman in the rear replied.
She had proved her mettle as a adventurer in Elwynn Forest, slaying kobolds and gnolls. She was raised a farmer, having been taught by her father how to fight. Francis Foller served in the militia and taught Brigitte everything he knew how to swing a sword. His mother hated that idea, Brigitte was meant to settle down, marry Tommy Fendlemore, have a lot of children and work at the farm untill her dying days. But that wasn't her. She felt more at home fighting off gnolls and Defias thieves than farming. When Brother Crowley came to her and asked her and her friends to join the Crusade and free Lordearon from the oppressive joke of the Undead, it was like a dream come through.
She had seen so much, travelled from Stormwind to Khaz Modan, fought Orcs, met and had sex with many interesting people than she would've done had she stayed back in Goldshire and married Tommy. The dwarf she met last night was truely one of the highlights. Furthermore, she found a traitor to the Crusade, information that would defiantly make her rise up in rank. Perhaps even a knighthood by the Grand Crusader Dathrohan himself!
And the best thing of all, she was helping people and fought what was truely evil in the world. Would she die today, it would be with a smile.
"Like catching fish in a barrel..." The Murloc said as he stroked the smooth seashell on his staff. His big, yellow eyes followed the six humans, a toothy grin emerging from his lips.
"What is a barrel, Oracle?" One of his warriors said. The Oracle replied by slamming his staff on his head.
"Shut up, you are interrupting my brilliance!" Oracle Grug replied. He straightened his purple hat he had found on the corpse of a magic human which made him feel more distinguished.
"Sorry, Oracle. A thousand apologies..." the warrior gurgled as he bowed deeply.
Grug raised his chin." I forgive you. Only this once however..."
"Of course, Oracle. What do you want us to do?" He asked.
The Oracle Murloc straightened his robe made from seaweed and sodden cloth." We wait until all six passed that threshold...then we ambush them, killing off the last of the red humans. Then the whole cave is ours."
The warrior nodded." Okay...then what?"
Grug sighed, as if a father sighed to his child when asked a silly question." Then we gather everyone and attack the blue humans south. Then we can take their weapons and attack the purple humans and take their magic stuff!"
The warrior's eyes looked like he was trying to solve a complicated puzzle." Good idea oracle...but why can't we attack the purple humans now?"
Grug replied with another staff to the head." Because we don't have good weapons, fish-for-brains! But the red ones do! And then the blue ones have even more weapons! Got it, you fool?"
"I think I do..." the warrior admitted." But...why do we need armour? Magic goes through it."
A moment of silence passed before a bright blue flash zapped the life out of the warrior murloc, the others standing at attention.
"Everyone, CHARGE!" Grug pointed his staff at the humans.
As one, a massive blue wave charged at the Scarlet Crusade like a horde of ravenous sharks headed towards a wounded prey. The red humans quickly formed a shieldwall as the bright haired female shouted in the common tongue.
"Aaaaaughibbrgubugbugrguburgle!" the wave crashed on the shieldwall as blue lightning zapped at the humans, often hitting other murlocs.
Swords stabbed, shields buckled, spears thrusted and people died. But it was never in doubt who won.
Grug felt like Queen Azshara herself as he walked over to the now silent field of battle. Red blood mixed with the damp cave floor beneath as his Murlocs ate the dead.
"Hey! Grug smacked one of his men who was biting on a leg." Take off the armour and weapons first BEFORE you eat them, idiot!"
"Sorry Oracle..." the bigger murloc apologised.
"It's funny, this human tastes like dwarf." another giggled.
"Enough, get these six stripped so we can have their armour." Grug turned to leave.
"Five, Oracle." the bigger Murloc said.
Grug stopped and sighed annoyed. Why was he surrounded by idiots?!
"Six, stupid! One, two, three, four, five..." he paused." Where is six?!"
Matthias frowned as he followed the tracks leading up to the caves.
"Sloppy..." he muttered. It was clear the Scarlet Crusade had been reduced to inducting amateurs into their ranks to fill them up. The tracks were very obvious. Six people in total, they did't even march in one rank to hide their numbers.
"What was dat?" Zan'ji asked.
"His people 'ave gone ta pot!" Hadgar replied as he looked inside the cave." Amateur hour!"
"Something like that." Matthias concurred. Herod would've killed their commander had he been here." There' six of them in total, leaded for the cave."
The Forest troll looked confused." Why would da Scarlet Crusade be makin' a base 'ere?"
Matthias stood back on his feet." We're close to Dalaran. I suppose they would try to get some magic out of that place..."
A thought hit Zan'ji." Also we close to da river. Dis be a good place ta make a base. Send people 'ere via boat across da lake to da otha side. To ta Monastery."
"Yer not just looks, ere yer lass?" Hadgar gave a wink to the troll woman.
Her reply came when her staff hit him over the head.
"Bloody bullocks!" Hadgar cursed. He rubbed his head and was about to retort when a noise came out of the cave.
The trio turned as a shape ran towards them. All raised their weapons but quickly lowered them as they saw the shape approach. It was a young woman, barely in her twenties, ragged and covered in blood. Her red Scarlet tabard was even more red, covered in blood. Her skin was nearly as pale as snow, her face one that has seen death.
She gasped for air and fell onto the grass outside of the cave. Her black hair and face were covered in sweat, her breath came in shallow gasps. Her eyes darted around in fear before she rested on Zan'ji. She tried to crawl away but couldn't, she was to exhausted.
"Easy dere, easy..." Zan'ji knelt and placed her hand on the woman's forehead. The woman at first struggled but eventually let out a long, relaxed sigh. " Da Light be 'ere with you, child."
A golden light surrounded both as Matthias and Hadgar turned to look at each other.
"Yer don't see that every day..." Hadgar said.
"No shit..." Matthias replied.
The golden glow soon vanished. The woman's skin was a bright pink again, her breath even.
"Dere, ya be all bettah now." Zan'ji smiled.
The Scarlet Crusader quickly sat up, disbelief in her eyes." You...you healed me. With the Light."
"Ya." Zan'ji nodded." It be what I do. Da Light says we should help each otha if one of us be in need."
"But...you're a troll." the woman blinked.
She turned and saw Matthias and Hadgar." I remember you two...Captain Foller spoke to you both!"
"Yes..." Matthias replied." You were with the patrol yesterday."
"What happened to 'em? Where's yer boss?" Hadgar asked.
"Dead...we were ambushed." she replied.
"By who?" Matthias asked.
The answer came from a multidude of gurgling screeches from inside the cave.
Matthias drew his sword as Hadgar drew his gun, both men stepped forward as they faced the incoming enemy from the cave's mouth.
"I...I can't do it.." the Scarlet stepped back. She was stopped by the green hand of the troll.
"We be needin' ya help, sistah." Zan'ji replied." Ya got any weapons?"
"No...no..." she nearly whined.
"What be ya name?"
A few gunshots rang as they flew into the dark. A few painfull cries were heard.
"Like shootin' fish in a barrel!" Hadgar said." A dark one. And the fish can eat yer face off. Actually nothing like shootin' fish in a barrel!"
"For the love the of the Light, keep shooting Hadgar!" Matthias prepared himself for the incoming wave.
Zan'ji repeated her question." What be ya name, sistah?"
"Tamara. Tamara Foxton." The Scarlet replied.
"Well Tamara. We be needin' ya help. Ya stand ovah dere and shoot at anythin' ya see dat be blue." she smiled.
"With..what?" Tamara asked.
"Ya know 'ow to use a gun?" She nodded to which the troll turned." Dwarf, we be needin' ya gun now!"
"Fine!" Hadgar replied and tossed it to the troll with his ammo pouch." I want it back after this tough!" He drew his axe, the runes upon it flaring bright red.
The wave hit a moment later. Blue scales and looted weapons struck at the two warriors. Yet not strike could land on them. The sword and axe flew, cutting up Murlocs left and right.
"Like cutting fish in a barrel!" Matthias shouted.
"That one doesn't even make sense!" Hadgar punched a Murloc in the face before he cut him in twain.
"Can ya two stop bickerin' fo' two minutes?!" Zan'ji threw out her hand as a bright, white light came from it and struck another Murloc dead.
Gunfire sounded as Tamara fired round upon round unto the blue horde. Not as fast as Hadgar did with his gun, but swift enough.
She kept her eye on the cave when she saw a familiar blue sparkle." Careful, they got a mage!"
A shot of blue lightning hit Matthias who knelt in pain from the strike. Were it not for Hadgar's fierceness in battle he would've been overrun. When the next strike hit, it was thankfully at one of the murlocs.
"A very shite Murloc!" Hadgar laughed.
As if angered the blue lightning flashed again and struck the dwarf...but nothing hurt.
A yellow bubble surrounded the dwarf, the lightning dissapated. The dwarf himself patted himself, stunned by the lack of pain, before a evil grin danced on his lips.
With a loud shout, so loud that his dwarven cousins in Aerie Peak could've heard, he charged through the mob, hacking and slashing as he did.
Matthias turned to see Zan'ji holding up the shield spell with both her hands.
"Good job, Zan'ji!" Matthias gave her a thumbs up.
"Why ya be insultin' ma motha fo'?!" The green troll glared.
"That's..not what it mea-"
"Sergeant Lehner, behind you!" Tamara shouted in between rounds.
Quickly the former Scarlet Crusader turned and blocked a strike from a Murloc warrior. He pushed back and quickly stabbed it in the bulbous torso.
She fired another round into the dark, where the lightning came from, when a loud scream was heard. Shortly after the Murlocs all began to retreat back into the cave.
"COME 'ERE, FISHBAIT!" Hadgar taunted as he withdrew his axe from a fresh kill and nearly ran into the cave.
"Hadgar, no!" Matthias stopped him." We don't know how many there are in there!"
"But that's the whole fun part!" the dwarf retorted.
"No, Burnside asked us to investigate and we did. We did our job!" the former crusader frowned at his friend.
"Bah...bloody fine." Hadgar sulked.
"Wait...Burnside send you after us, Sergeant?" Tamara slid down from her post.
"I'm not a Sergeant. Not anymore..." Matthias replied." And yes, he did."
"Good ting to or else ya be dead." Zan'ji nodded.
"Thank the Light indeed." Matthias added to that.
Tamara gave the gun back to Hadgar." That can still happen. My patrol was overrun by Murlocs and the rest of the Crusaders there. I overheard they were going to attack Hillsbrad next."
"How many?" Hadgar asked.
"Dozens...so many." Tamara shrugged." Enough to overrun Hillsbrad, Southshore AND Tarren Mill."
"We need to warn the village." Matthias nodded.
"And get paid." Hadgar lit his pipe with a satisfied grin.
Grug muttered angrilly to himself. Already his warriors were following him.
Those fools, how dare they to run when he had to quickly evacuate after being shot at.
They would suffer. That whole village would suffer. As would those humans, that troll and escpially that rude dwarf.
"You failed, Oracle Grug." A deep voice shook the oracle from his evil revelries and revenge fantasies. He looked up and fell to his knees." My lord, I'm sorry!"
"Do not be sorry...be better." the voice said as a large form slithered towards him. His trident landed in front of the Murloc, inches away from his face." You had your chance, fool. It's now time for Azshara's chosen to win the day."
To be continued in Nagaslayer.